Five Tips For Overcoming Job Search Anxiety
Two Minute Read
Job hunting can be overwhelming for young adults, especially with the constant pressure from social media and the news. When scrolling through your feed, it's easy to see the highlights from friends and acquaintances who seem to have it all together. They're getting promotions, traveling the world, and living the dream, while you're still sending out resumes and going to job interviews. But don't let it get you down!
A series of consumer surveys and interviews conducted by McKinsey indicates stark differences in levels of distress among generations, with Gen Z reporting the least positive life outlook. This includes lower levels of emotional and social well-being than older generations. One in four Gen Z respondents reported feeling more emotionally distressed (25 percent), almost double the levels reported by millennial and Gen X respondents (13 percent each), and more than triple the levels reported by baby boomer respondents (8 percent).
Source: McKinsey & Co.
So, what can be done to reduce the anxiety levels of young adults during their job search? Here are a few tips:
1. Set realistic expectations. It's important to remember that finding a job takes time. Setting a realistic timeline for your job search will help to alleviate some of the pressure. For example, commit to spending three months on the job search. Understand that the job search takes time but requires consistency and commitment. Set aside several hours daily to focus on researching companies, making and reaching out to connections, and having exploratory meetings and interviews.
2. Seek out support. Job searching can be a lonely process, so it's important to seek support from friends and family. Having a support system can be crucial to mental health and well-being. Regularly communicating with fellow job seekers can be helpful and is a great method for exchanging leads.
3. Limit your social media use and mute or unfollow accounts that make you feel bad. Social media can be a source of pressure and anxiety, so setting boundaries for yourself can help.
4. Take care of yourself by getting enough sleep, eating well, and exercising regularly. Mindfulness practices such as meditation and yoga can also help reduce anxiety and improve overall well-being. Something as simple as three deep breaths can help regulate the flow of stress hormones.
5. Focus on the process, not the outcome. It's easy to get caught up in the result of finding a job, but try to focus on the process of searching for one. This will help you stay motivated and reduce feelings of anxiety.
Remember, the process of job searching doesn't last forever. So stay positive, maintain your search velocity, and you'll be on your way to meeting your career goals.
I help young adults (college students and grads several years out) jumpstart their careers and get hired for full-time jobs and internships through individual and group career coaching and advising. I employ a holistic, design-oriented approach to help candidates find meaningful, self-sustaining work matched to their skills and interests. I welcome you to contact me.